1997 FORD EXPLORER Complaints

TIRE BLEW OUT ON MAJOR HIGHWAY. CAUSED VEHICLE TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL INTO ONCOMING HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. NARROWLY MISSED SEVERAL HEAD-ON COLLISIONS. TRUCK WAS SKIDDING ON RIMS. STILL HAVE TIRE REMNANTS. EXACTLY AS DESCRIBED IN USA TODAY ARTICLE. POLICE RESPONDED, BUT NO REPORT TAKEN, AS THERE WAS NO COLLISION. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 235/75/10 )

6 TIRE FAILURES IN THE LAST 3 YEARS ON AN AVERAGE OF EVERY 5000 MILES ON THE FAILED TIRES, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. *AK( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: P225/70R15 )

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY I HEARD A THUMP FROM UNDER CAR IN REAR. LESS THAN TWO MINUTES LATER I HEARD ANOTHER THUMPING. I LOOKED INTO MY REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW SOMETHING ROLL TO SHOULDER OF ROAD, BUT DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING. I DECIDED TO PULL OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE FREEWAY TO INVESTIGATE. ON MY INVESTIGATION I NOTICE A LARGE CHUNK (SIZE OF A LARGE ORANGE)OF THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE TIRE MISSING. ALL THE TIRES APPEAR TO HAVE A LINE OF SEPERATION YET PLENTY OF TREAD LEFT ON THEM. *AK( DOT NUMBER: 027477 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )

EXPERIENCING A NOICE AND VIBRATION AT IDLE STAGE, WHEN ACELERATING LOSE OF POWER, SMOKE FROM ENGINE DO NOT KNOW THE SOURCE. *AK

TREAD SEPARATED FROM THE TIRE. I DON'T HAVE THE DOT NUMBERS AND TIRE SIZE SINCE I HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 TIRES WHEN I NOTICED THE DEFECT IN THE FIRST ONE. IT WASN'T WORTH TAKING ANY CHANCES. *AK( DOT NUMBER: UNKNOWN TIRE SIZE: 15 )

REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED WHILE DRIVING, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 60MPH ON THE HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE WAS SHAKING. REAR RIGHT DRIVER'S TIRE WAS BLOWN. THERE WERE WIRES, AND TIRE WAS SEPARATED FROM THE RIM. *AK

CONSUMER WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 75MPH ON HIGHWAY AND VEHICLE WAS VIBRATING.ALSO, REAR RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM WHEEL, AND DRIVER LOST CONTROL, AND VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AND LANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF HIGHWAY. *AK

A SPLIT NOTICE IN THE TIRES FROM INSIDE OF FRONT DRIVER'S TIRES ON A FORD EXPLORER. TIRES REPLACED BY AFTERMARKET TIRES, AND NOT AVAILABLE FOR ANALYSIS. *AK THE TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND THE TIRE WAS DESTROYED. *YH

WAS DRIVING TO GEORGIA & STEERING WAS NOT HANDLING PROPERLY. TOOK TO DEALER IN GA & VEHICLE PLACED ON MACHINE. NOTHING WAS FOUND. MOVED TO NC 1 1/2 YR LATER & HAD REGULAR MAINTENANCE DONE. ALSO HAD STEERING CHECKED AGAIN DUE TO SAME PROBLEM. NOTHING FOUND AGAIN. VEHICLE WENT FOR INSPECTION & FAILED DUE TO PROBLEM WITH STEERING. TOOK TO LOCAL MECHANIC & INDICATION WAS RACK & PINION WAS MESSING UP. TOOK BACK TO DEALERSHIP & MECHANIC INDICATED A PROBLEM WITH THE RACK & PINION & IT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED.*AK